1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a road area extracting apparatus in which a road area is extracted from areas written in a block map, and more particularly to a road area extracting apparatus in which a road area placed in a designated block is automatically extracted and a shape of the road area is deformed according to a user""s intention. Also, the present invention relates to a deformed map automatic generation system in which a simplified deformed map is automatically generated from road area data obtained in the road area extracting apparatus. Also, the present invention relates to a map information providing system in which map information generated by the deformed map automatic generation system and related information related to the map information are efficiently provided for a small sized portable information terminal apparatus having a radio communication function in response to a retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus so as to easily realize the map information and the related information. Also, the present invention relates to a geographical information providing system in which geographical spatial data is provided for an information terminal apparatus through a communication network. Also, the present invention relates to a geographical information describing method for describing geographical spatial data transmitted through a communication network.
2. Description of the Related Art for Road Area Extracting Apparatus
As a vector topographical map, a road map having vector data of roads and a block map having vector data indicating block shapes are well-known. In case of the block map, areas other than block areas are recognized as roads.
2.1. Previously Proposed Art
For the vector map, a technique that an area between two line segments almost parallel to each other is regarded as a road and a road network is extracted from the vector map (Published Unexamined Japanese patent Application No. H3-3083 of 1991), a technique that road areas or areas other than road areas are painted out, the road areas painted out or the areas painted out are thinned to form line segments, the line segments are expressed by vectors and a road network is made of the vectors (Published Unexamined Japanese patent Application No. H4-141782 of 1992), and a technique that a closed area of a vector map having block information is traced clockwise, feature points such as an end point, a corner point and the like are detected from the closed area, a vector row connecting the feature points with each other is formed and a road network is made of the vector row (Information Processing Society, 36-th Nation Meeting Document, pp. 2287-2288, 1988) are disclosed.
2.2. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, because the road network is only extracted from the vector map in each of the above techniques, a shape of a road is not detected, or the road shape is not deformed. That is, because a portable information system has been recently advanced, a service that map data of positions close to a current position is provided at a real time or a service that a route to a destination is displayed is required. In this information provision, it is required that a map is displayed so as to be easily seen. Also, it is required that a volume of transmitted map data is reduced as small as possible.
3. Description of the Related Art for Automatic Generation System of Deformed Map and Map Information Providing System
3.1. Previously Proposed Art
As a technique for preparing a deformed map, an abbreviated method of a road line segment in vehicle navigation map (Published Unexamined Japanese patent Application No. H5-53498 of 1993), a thinning-out method for deleting a building, of which an area is lower than a prescribed area, according to a contraction scale rate (Published Unexamined Japanese patent Application No. H5-250420 of 1993), and a method for automatically generating an outline map of positions at the periphery of an address handwritten by a user (Published Unexamined Japanese patent Application No. H5-142993 of 1993) are well-known.
Also, as a technique of a radio-transmission of map data, a method for transmitting map information corresponding to a location of a mobile body at any time or on occasion (Published Unexamined Japanese patent Applications No. H1-317036 of 1989, No. 4-152724 of 1992, No. H4-266228 of 1992 and No. H6-120875 of 1994) is well-known.
Also, as a system in which traffic information is provided for a running vehicle by an audio communication and the traffic information is displayed with map information, Vehicle Information and communication system (VICS), Advanced Traffic Information Service (ATIS) (xe2x80x9cAll of Intelligent Transport systemsxe2x80x9d, edited by Image Technical Research, published by Nippon Keizai newspaper publishing company) and Traffic Information Communication System (Published Unexamined Japanese patent Application No. H5-89399 of 1993) are well-known.
Also, as a system for providing town information and traffic information with map information, a system using a CD-ROM is put on the market (xe2x80x9cMap Softxe2x80x9d, Nikkei Pasocon, Feb. 26, 1996).
Also, as a system for providing traffic information of an urban area, a train route searching system (xe2x80x9cInformation Systems for the Optimal Routes in Urban Transportationxe2x80x9d, written by Masami KATO, Information Processing, Vol. 28, No. 3, 1987) and Station Spart (Val research) are well-known.
3.2. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, there are problems in the conventional map information generating systems and the conventional map information providing systems as follows.
In case of a deformed map such as a route information map, a sight-viewing information map, a town map or other outline maps in which a relative positional relationship and an easily seeing function are important more than a positional precision, because a map deformation method depends on a using purpose, a general automatic generating method useful for various purposes is not provided.
Also, in cases where a deformed map is generated by hand, because the generation of the deformed map and the renewal of the deformed map are troublesome, it is difficult to generate a deformed map for a wide ranged area.
Also, because a deformed map is generated by hand, it is difficult to generate a deformed map for an arbitrary area.
Also, because map information and other related information attached to the map information are usually stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM and the recording medium with the map information and the other information is delivered to a user, a personal computer in which a CD-ROM actuating apparatus can be used is usually used to reproduce the map information and the other information. In this case, because the personal computer cannot be used outdoors, it is not adequate to display a deformed map according to the map information and the other information stored in the CD-ROM outdoors.
Also, in cases where a user desires to display a map on a portable terminal side, a hardware of a portable terminal such as a display size of an image plane and a memory capacity is restricted, so that it is difficult to display the entire map on condition that the user can easily see the map.
Also, map information is transmitted to a portable terminal of a user by using an audio communication function, the performance of a communication environment and the performance of a network environment are inferior to that in the transmission of the map information performed by a wire communication, so that it is difficult to transmit a large volume of map information to the user""s portable terminal by an audio communication.
Also, in cases where the CD-ROM with the map information and the other information is delivered to a user, because the renewal of the information is performed once a year, it is difficult that the user uses updated information.
Also, in cases where the CD-ROM with the map information and the other information is delivered to a user, because the user has various retrieval requests, it is difficult to satisfy the user in cases where the map information and the other information are reproduced indoors.
Also, map information is transmitted to a portable terminal by using an audio communication function, the user is required to pay a cost for the audio communication, and the user is required to wait for the retrieval of the information for a long time. Therefore, it is required to efficiently transmit the map information.
4. Description of the Related Art for Geographical Information Providing System and Geographical Information Describing Method
4.1. Previously Proposed Art
As a system for providing geometric information for an information terminal through a communication network, various systems utilizing an internet are known. For example, a system for research is disclosed in a literature xe2x80x9cOverview of Geographical Information System and National Spatial Data Infrastructurexe2x80x9d written by Kazuhiko AKENO and Yohta KUMAKI, Information Processing, Vol. 38, No. 2, 1997. Also, a system for business is disclosed in a report xe2x80x9cFuzitsu Wildbirdxe2x80x9d written in sixth page of Nippon Kogyou Newspaper on Dec. 20, 1996.
Geographical data transmitted through an internet is expressed with a hypertext markup language (called HTML) for describing a plurality of documents arranged in a hyper-link structure or a virtual reality modeling language (VRML) for describing a three-dimensional graphics. For example, a nation and a city are selected one by one from a displayed world map to specify a destination, and a map around the destination is displayed. Also, a hotel or a museum placed in a desired province is designated, and information about the hotel or the museum is displayed. For example, a literature xe2x80x9cIntroduction of HTMLxe2x80x9d written by Laura LEMAY, translated by Hiroyuki MUSHA et al., 1996 and a literature xe2x80x9cVRML""s Three-Dimensional worldxe2x80x9d written by Y. ANDO, Information Processing, Vol. 37, No. 10, 1996 are known.
4.2. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, in a conventional map information providing system utilizing the internet, because map information is transmitted as image data from a map information providing apparatus to an information terminal apparatus, a volume of the transmitted image data is enormously increased, so that there is a drawback that a transmission efficiency for the image data is lowered. Therefore, unless a personal computer having a high speed data transmitting function is used as the information terminal apparatus and the map information providing apparatus and the information terminal apparatus are connected with a wire circuit, the map information cannot be transmitted to the information terminal apparatus.
Also, in the conventional map information providing system utilizing the internet, geographical features prepared in advance on a side of the providing system are selected and are merely displayed on a display plane of the information terminal apparatus. Therefore, it is impossible that geographical features displayed on the display plane of the information terminal apparatus are adaptably changed according to a user""s request. For example, information displayed on the display plane of the information terminal apparatus cannot be limited to information of institutions desired by a user, a region of a map displayed on the display plane of the information terminal apparatus cannot be limited to a region desired by a user, or a geographical shape cannot be changed according to a user""s taste.
A first object of the present invention is to provide, with due consideration to the drawbacks of such a conventional road area extracting apparatus, a road area extracting apparatus in which a road area placed in an arbitrary area is automatically drawn according to a block map and a shape of the road area is deformed according to a user""s intention.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a deformed map automatic generation system in which a deformed map for an arbitrary area is automatically generated on condition that the deformed map is useful for various purposes. Also, the second object of the present invention is to provide a map information providing system in which updated map information and updated related information are efficiently transmitted to a user""s portable information terminal apparatus at a superior communication and network environment according to various user""s retrieval requests, and a deformed map generated by the deformed map automatic generation system according to the updated map information and the updated related information is displayed without any hardware restriction even though the portable information terminal apparatus is placed outdoors.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a geographical information providing system and a geographical information describing method in which geographical spatial data of a map suiting a user""s request is efficiently transmitted as geographical information to an information terminal apparatus through a communication network.
The first object is achieved by the provision of a road area extracting apparatus comprising:
receiving means for receiving an image drawing region;
block information reading out means for reading out pieces of particular block information corresponding to the image drawing region received by the receiving means from a block map data base in which pieces of block information respectively indicating a line segment row and each line segment divides a block area from a road area, a plurality of particular line segment rows indicated by the pieces of particular block information respectively having an end placed at a boundary line of the image drawing region;
road shape extracting means for setting each point, at which one end of one particular line segment row indicated by one piece of particular block information contacts with the boundary line of the image drawing region, as a boundary point, selecting a pair of boundary points close to each other and connecting the pair of boundary points with each other through a connecting line segment to extract a shape of a road area surrounded by the connecting line segment and a pair of particular line segment rows connected with the connecting line segment from the particular block information read out by the block information reading out means; and
road area outputting means for outputting the shape of the road area extracted by the road shape extracting means.
In the above configuration, a large number of pieces of block information respectively indicating a line segment row are stored in a block map data base. Each line segment divides a block area from a road area surrounding the block area, so that each line segment stored in the block map data base is closed and does not have any end.
When an image drawing region is received by the receiving means, pieces of particular block information corresponding to the image drawing region are read out from the block map reading out means. In this case, a plurality of particular line segment rows indicated by the pieces of particular block information are respectively cut at a boundary line of the image drawing region. Therefore, each particular line segment row has an end placed at the boundary line of the image drawing region, so that each particular line segment row does not divides a block area from a road area. Therefore, the road area cannot be determined by each particular line segment row.
To determine a road area according to the particular block information, a connecting line segment connecting a pair of boundary points close to each other is set along the boundary of the image drawing region. Accordingly, a road area in the image drawing region is determined, and a shape of the road area can be drawn according to the particular block information.
The second object of the present invention is achieved by a provision of a deformed map automatic generation system, comprising:
road information storing means for storing pieces of road information respectively indicating an area of a road and pieces of target object information respectively indicating a position of a target object;
input data receiving means for receiving an image drawing region;
road information reading means for reading out pieces of display road information and pieces of display target object information, which indicate a display road map corresponding to the image drawing region received by the input data receiving means, from the road information storing means, a plurality of display target objects placed at prescribed positions indicated by the display target object information being drawn with a plurality of display road areas in the display road map;
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by one piece of display target object information read by the road information reading means and one display road area placed close to the display target object for each display target object and generating a positional relationship fixing map, in which the positional relationships for the display target objects are fixed, from the display road map; deformed map generating means for deformed map generating means for generating a deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationships; and deformed map outputting means for outputting the deformed map generated by the deformed map generating means.
In the above configuration, display road information and display target object information indicating a display road map for the image drawing region are read out from the road information storing means by the road information reading means. In the display road map, a plurality of display target objects placed at prescribed positions indicated by the display target object information are drawn with a plurality of display road areas.
Thereafter, one display road area close to one display target object is specified, a positional relationship between the display target object and the display road area is determined for each display target object, and a positional relationship fixing map is generated from the display road map by the positional relationship determining means. In the positional relationship fixing map, the positional relationships are fixed even though a shape of one display road area is deformed.
Thereafter, a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map is deformed by the deformed ap generating means while maintaining the positional relationships, so that a deformed map is generated.
Accordingly, the deformed map for the image drawing region an be automatically generated. Also, because the deformed map is generated while maintaining the positional relationships even though a shape of one display road area is deformed, the deformed map is useful for various purposes.
Also, the second object is achieved by the provision of a map information providing apparatus for providing particular map information for a portable information terminal apparatus through a radio communication path in response to a retrieval request of the portable information terminal apparatus, comprising:
map-base information storing means for storing pieces of map-base information and pieces of related information relating to the map-base information;
communicating means for performing a radio communication with the portable information terminal apparatus to receive the retrieval request of the portable information terminal apparatus;
map-base information retrieving means for retrieving particular map-base information and particular related information relating to the particular map-base information from the map-base information storing means in response to the retrieval request received by the communicating means;
a deformed map automatic generation system for automatically generating a simplified deformed map from the particular map-base information and the particular related information retrieved by the map-base information retrieving means; and
control means for generating a retrieval instruction row from the retrieval request received by the communicating means, instructing the map-base information retrieving means to retrieve the particular map-base information and the particular related information from the map-base information storing means according to the retrieval instruction row, instructing the deformed map automatic generation system to generate the simplified deformed map from the particular map-base information and the particular related information, and instructing the communicating means to transmit the simplified deformed map generated by the deformed map automatic generation system to the portable information terminal apparatus.
In the above configuration, when a retrieval request is transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus to the communicating means, a retrieval instruction row is received from the retrieval request by the control means, and particular map-base information and particular related information relating to the particular map-base information are retrieved from the map-base information storing means. Thereafter, a simplified deformed map is automatically generated by the deformed map automatic generation system from the particular map-base information and the particular related information under the control of the control means, and simplified deformed map is transmitted from the communicating means to the portable information terminal apparatus under the control of the control means.
Accordingly, even though a user having the portable information terminal apparatus is positioned far from the map information providing system, the user can view the simplified deformed map displayed on a display plane of the portable information terminal apparatus. Also, because the deformed map is simplified and a volume of data required for the deformed map is small, the simplified deformed map can be efficiently transmitted to a user""s portable information terminal apparatus at a superior communication and network environment, and the user can clearly view the simplified deformed map. Also, because the simplified deformed map is automatically generated in response to a retrieval request of the user, any simplified deformed map satisfying a user""s request can be transmitted to the user""s portable information terminal apparatus.
It is preferred that the particular map-base information retrieved by the map-base information retrieving means indicate a plurality of display road areas and positions of a plurality of display target objects, the particular related information retrieved by the map-base information retrieving means indicate names of the display target objects, and the deformed map automatic generation system comprise
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and one display road area placed close to the display target object for each display target object and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the display road areas are drawn with the display target objects and the names of the display target objects while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationships.
In the above configuration, a positional relationship fixing map, in which the display road areas are drawn with the display target objects and the names of the display target objects while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas, is obtained by the positional relationship determining means, and a simplified deformed map is generated from the positional relationship fixing map in the deformed map generating means by deforming a shape of one display road area while maintaining the positional relationships.
Accordingly, a simplified deformed map satisfying a user""s request can be reliably transmitted to the user even though the user is placed outdoors.
It is also preferred that the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus indicate a name of a particular spot corresponding to a particular target object, the particular map-base information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means indicate one or more display road areas of a particular region around the particular spot and positions of one or more display target objects including the particular target object, the particular related information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means denote names of the display target objects including a name of the particular spot, and the deformed map automatic generation system comprise positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a display road area placed nearest to the display target object for each display target object, attaching the names of the display target objects to the display target objects and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the display road areas of the particular region around the particular spot are drawn with the display target objects including the particular target object and the names of the display target objects including the name of the particular target object while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationship.
In the above configuration, when a name of a particular spot is indicated by the retrieval request, a simplified deformed map in which the particular spot and the name of the particular spot are indicated can be obtained.
It is also preferred that the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus indicate a name of a particular region, the particular map-base information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means indicate one or more display road areas of the particular region and positions of one or more display target objects, the particular related information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means denote names of the display target objects, and the deformed map automatic generation system comprise
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a display road area placed nearest to the display target object for each display target object, attaching the names of the display target objects to the display target objects and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the display road areas of the particular region are drawn with the display target objects and the names of the display target objects while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationship.
In the above configuration, when a name of a particular region is indicated by the retrieval request, a simplified deformed map for the particular region can be obtained.
It is also preferred that the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus indicate a name of a particular region and a category of business, the particular map-base information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means indicate one or more display road areas of the particular region and positions of one or more display target objects in which a particular target object corresponding to the category of business is included, the particular related information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means denote names of the display target objects including a name of the particular target object, and the deformed map automatic generation system comprise
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a display road area placed nearest to the display target object for each display target object, attaching the names of the display target objects to the display target objects and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the display road areas of the particular region are drawn with the display target objects including the particular target object and the names of the display target objects including the name of the particular target object while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationship.
In the above configuration, when a name of a particular region and a category of business is indicated by the retrieval request, a simplified deformed map for the particular region can be obtained, and a particular target object corresponding to the category of business and a name of the particular target object are drawn in the simplified deformed map.
Accordingly, a simplified deformed map can be reliably transmitted to the user""s portable information terminal apparatus in response to one of various user""s requests.
It is also preferred that the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus indicate a name of a particular spot corresponding to a first particular target object and a category of business, the particular map-base information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means indicate one or more display road areas of a particular region around the particular spot and positions of one or more display target objects in which the first particular target object and a second particular target object corresponding to the category of object, the particular related information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means denote names of the display target objects including the name of the particular spot and a name of the second particular target object, and
the deformed map automatic generation system comprise
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a display road area placed nearest to the display target object for each display target object, attaching the names of the display target objects to the display target objects and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the display road areas of the particular region around the particular spot are drawn with the display target objects including the first and second particular target objects and the names of the display target objects including the name of the particular spot and the name of the second particular target object while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationship.
In the above configuration, when a name of a particular spot corresponding to a first particular target object and a category of business is indicated by the retrieval request, a simplified deformed map for a particular region around the particular spot can be obtained, and a particular target object corresponding to the category of business and a name of the particular target object are drawn in the simplified deformed map.
Accordingly, a simplified deformed map can be reliably transmitted to the user""s portable information terminal apparatus in response to one of various user""s requests.
It is also preferred that the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus indicate a telephone number, a particular address, an institution name, a corporation name or a personal name, the particular map-base information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means indicate one or more display road areas of a particular region, in which a particular target object indicated by the telephone number, the particular address, the institution name, the corporation name or the personal name exists, and positions of one or more display target objects including the particular target object, the particular related information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means denote names of the display target objects including a name of the particular target object, and the deformed map automatic generation system comprise
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a display road area placed nearest to the display target object for each display target object, attaching the names of the display target objects to the display target objects and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the display road areas of the particular region are drawn with the display target objects including the particular target object and the names of the display target objects including the name of the particular target object while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationship.
In the above configuration, when a telephone number, a particular address, an institution name, a corporation name or a personal name is indicated by the retrieval request, a simplified deformed map for a particular region, in which a particular target object indicated by the telephone number, the particular address, the institution name, the corporation name or the personal name exists, can be obtained, and the particular target object and a name of the particular target object are drawn in the simplified deformed map.
Accordingly, a simplified deformed map can be reliably transmitted to the user""s portable information terminal apparatus in response to one of various user""s requests.
It is also preferred that the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus indicate a current position of the portable information terminal apparatus and a category of business, the particular map-base information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means indicate one or more display road areas of a particular region around the current position and positions of one or more display target objects in which a particular target object corresponding to the category of business is included, the particular related information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means denote names of the display target objects including a name of the particular target object, and the deformed map automatic generation system comprise
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a display road area placed nearest to the display target object for each display target object, attaching the names of the display target objects to the display target objects and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the display road areas of the particular region around the current position are drawn with the display target objects including the particular target object and the names of the display target objects including the name of the particular target object while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationship.
In the above configuration, when a current position of the portable information terminal apparatus and a category of business is indicated by the retrieval request, a simplified deformed map for a particular region around the current position can be obtained, and a particular target object corresponding to the category of business and a name of the particular target object are drawn in the simplified deformed map.
Accordingly, a simplified deformed map can be reliably transmitted to the user""s portable information terminal apparatus in response to one of various user""s requests.
It is also preferred that the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus indicate a name of a starting point corresponding to a first particular target object and an arriving point corresponding to a second particular target object, the particular map-base information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means indicate one or more display road areas of a particular region, in which the starting and arriving spots are placed, and positions of one or more display target objects including the first and second particular target objects, the particular related information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means denote names of the display target objects including names of the first and second particular target objects and an optimum route from the starting point to the arriving point, and the deformed map automatic generation system comprise
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a display road area placed nearest to the display target object for each display target object, attaching the names of the display target objects to the display target objects and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the display road areas of the particular region are drawn with the display target objects including the first and second particular target objects, the names of the display target objects including the names of the first and second particular target objects and the optimum route while fixing the positional relationships of the display target objects with the display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationship.
In the above configuration, when a name of a starting point corresponding to a first particular target object and an arriving point corresponding to a second particular target object is indicated by the retrieval request, a simplified deformed map for a particular region, in which the starting and arriving spots are placed, can be obtained, and the first and second particular target objects and names of the first and second particular target objects are drawn in the simplified deformed map.
Accordingly, a simplified deformed map can be reliably transmitted to the user""s portable information terminal apparatus in response to one of various user""s requests.
It is also preferred that the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus indicate a name of a starting point corresponding to a first particular target object, an arriving point corresponding to a second particular target object and a means of transport, the particular map-base information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means indicate one or more first display road areas of a first particular region around the starting spot, one or more second display road areas of a second particular region around the arriving spot, positions of one or more first display target objects of the first particular region including the first particular target object and positions of one or more second display target objects of the second particular region including the second particular target object, the particular related information retrieved from the map-base information storing means by the map-base information retrieving means denote names of the first and second display target objects including names of the first and second particular target objects and an optimum route from the starting point to the arriving point through the means of transport, and the deformed map automatic generation system comprise
positional relationship determining means for determining a positional relationship between one first display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a first display road area placed nearest to the first display target object for each first display target object, determining a positional relationship between one second display target object indicated by the particular map-base information and a second display road area placed nearest to the second display target object for each second display target object, attaching the names of the first and second display target objects to the first and second display target objects and generating a positional relationship fixing map in which the first and second display road areas of the first and second particular regions are drawn with the first and second display target objects including the first and second particular target objects, the names of the first and second display target objects including the names of the first and second particular target objects and the optimum route while fixing the positional relationships of the first display target objects with the first display road areas and the positional relationships of the second display target objects with the second display road areas; and
deformed map generating means for generating the simplified deformed map from the positional relationship fixing map generated by the positional relationship determining means by deforming a shape of one display road area drawn in the positional relationship fixing map while maintaining the positional relationship.
In the above configuration, when a name of a starting point corresponding to a first particular target object, an arriving point corresponding to a second particular target object and a means of transport is indicated by the retrieval request, a simplified deformed map for a first particular region around the starting spot and a second particular region around the arriving spot, can be obtained. In the first particular region, the first display road areas are drawn with the first display target objects including the first particular target object and the names of the first display target objects including the name of the first particular target objects. In the second particular region, the second display road areas are drawn with the second display target objects including the second particular target object and the names of the second display target objects including the name of the second particular target objects. Also, the optimum route from the starting point to the arriving point through the means of transport is drawn in the simplified deformed map.
Accordingly, a simplified deformed map can be reliably transmitted to the user""s portable information terminal apparatus in response to one of various user""s requests.
It is also preferred that the map information providing apparatus further comprise retrieval instruction row storing means for storing the retrieval instruction row generated in the control means in correspondence to the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus, wherein the retrieval instruction row stored in the retrieval instruction row storing means is transmitted to the map-base information retrieving means under the control of the control means without generating any retrieval instruction row in the control means in cases where the same retrieval request as that corresponding to the retrieval instruction row is transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus.
In the above configuration, in cases where a current retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus is the same as that corresponding to the retrieval instruction row stored in the retrieval instruction row storing means, it is not required to generate a retrieval instruction row from the current retrieval request, and the retrieval instruction row stored in the retrieval instruction row storing means is reused. Therefore, a simplified deformed map can be efficiently transmitted to a user""s portable information terminal apparatus.
It is also preferred that the map information providing apparatus further comprise retrieved information storing means for storing the particular map-base information and the particular related information relating to the particular map-base information retrieved by the map-base information retrieving means in correspondence to the retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus, wherein the particular map-base information and the particular related information relating to the particular map-base information stored in the retrieved information storing means are transmitted to the deformed map automatic generation system under the control of the control means without operating the map-base information retrieving means in cases where the same retrieval request as that corresponding to the particular map-base information and the particular related information is transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus.
In the above configuration, in cases where a current retrieval request transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus is the same as that corresponding to the particular map-base information and the particular related information stored in the retrieval instruction row storing means, it is not required to again read out the particular map-base information and the particular related information from the map-base information storing means, and the particular map-base information and the particular related information stored in the retrieved information storing means are reused. Therefore, a simplified deformed map can be efficiently transmitted to a user""s portable information terminal apparatus.
It is also preferred that the map information providing apparatus further comprise:
retrieved information storing means for storing pieces of particular map-base information and pieces of particular related information relating to the pieces of particular map-base information retrieved by the map-base information retrieving means in correspondence to a plurality of retrieval requests transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus; and
map-base information renewal detecting means for detecting the renewal of a piece of specific map-base information or a piece of specific related information stored in the map-base information storing means and instructing the retrieved information storing means to renew a piece of particular map-base information or a piece of particular related information agreeing with the piece of specific map-base information or the piece of specific related information, wherein the piece of particular map-base information and the piece of particular related information stored in the retrieved information storing means are transmitted to the deformed map automatic generation system under the control of the control means without operating the map-base information retrieving means in cases where the same retrieval request as that corresponding to the piece of particular map-base information and the piece of particular related information is transmitted from the portable information terminal apparatus.
In the above configuration, even though a piece of specific map-base information or a piece of specific related information stored in the map-base information storing means is renewed, the renewal is detected by the map-base information renewal detecting means, and a piece of particular map-base information or a piece of particular related information agreeing with the piece of specific map-base information or the piece of specific related information is renewed in the retrieved information storing means.
Therefore, pieces of updated map-base information and pieces of updated related information can be always stored in the retrieved information storing means and can be reused.
The third object is achieved by the provision of a geographical information describing method, comprising the steps of:
determining a plurality of composing objects existing in a geographical space;
recognizing a plurality of spatial characteristics of one composing object as graphical information for each composing object;
classifying the spatial characteristics of the composing objects into a plurality of characteristic items;
setting a characteristic identifier identifying one characteristic item for each characteristic item to express one spatial characteristic of each composing object with a set of the spatial characteristic and one characteristic identifier corresponding to the spatial characteristic;
expressing one spatial characteristic of one composing object identified by one characteristic identifier with a character string for each spatial characteristic of the composing objects; and
declaredly describing the graphical information of each composing object with a plurality of sets of the spatial characteristics expressed by the character strings and the characteristic identifiers corresponding to the spatial characteristics.
In the above steps, a plurality of spatial characteristics of a plurality of composing objects existing in a geographical space are respectively expressed by a set of one spatial characteristic expressed by a character string and a characteristic identifier identifying a type of the spatial characteristic, and graphical information of each composing object is declaredly described with a plurality of sets of the spatial characteristics expressed by the character strings and the characteristic identifiers corresponding to the spatial characteristics.
Therefore, a volume of data required to express the graphical information of the composing objects in a graphic space can be reduced as compared with a volume of image data expressing graphical information of the composing objects. Also, in cases where a user desires to transmit the graphical information of the composing objects from a information providing apparatus to an information terminal apparatus, because the data volume of the graphical information is reduced, the user can transmit the graphical information through a communication network at high speed. Also, even though the communication network is a radio circuit, the geographical information can be reliably transmitted to the information terminal apparatus.
The third object is also achieved by the provision of a geographical information providing system comprising an information terminal apparatus with a communication function and an information providing apparatus for providing geographical information for the information terminal apparatus through a communication network in response to a retrieval request transmitted from the information terminal apparatus, the information providing apparatus comprising:
geographical spatial data storing means for storing pieces of geographical spatial data, which relate to a plurality of composing objects existing in a geographical space, as geographical information;
geographical spatial data retrieving and transforming means for retrieving pieces of particular geographical spatial data relating to one or more particular composing objects from the geographical spatial data storing means according to the retrieval request transmitted from the information terminal apparatus and transforming the particular geographical spatial data into pieces of display geographical spatial data described in a particular describing form such that each piece of display geographical spatial data is expressed by a set of a character string indicating a spatial characteristic of one particular composing object and a characteristic identifier identifying the spatial characteristic; and
providing side communicating means for transmitting the retrieval request transmitted from the information terminal apparatus to the geographical spatial data retrieving and transforming means and transmitting the display geographical spatial data obtained in the geographical spatial data retrieving and transforming means to the information terminal apparatus, and
the information terminal apparatus comprising:
display geographical spatial data storing means for storing the display geographical spatial data transmitted from the providing side communicating means of the information providing apparatus; and
user interface means for receiving the retrieval request from a user and displaying a geographical space map in which the particular composing objects are drawn so as to indicate the spatial characteristics of the particular composing objects according to the display geographical spatial data stored in the display geographical spatial data storing means.
In the above configuration, when pieces of particular geographical spatial data denoting image data are retrieved by the geographical spatial data retrieving and transforming means, the particular geographical spatial data are transformed into pieces of display geographical spatial data described in a particular describing form according to the geographical information describing method. Therefore, each piece of display geographical spatial data is expressed by a set of a character string indicating a spatial characteristic of one particular composing object and a characteristic identifier identifying the spatial characteristic.
Thereafter, the display geographical spatial data transmitted to the information terminal apparatus through the communication network are analyzed by the user interface means, and a geographical space map in which the particular composing objects are drawn so as to indicate the spatial characteristics of the particular composing objects according to the display geographical spatial data is displayed.
Accordingly, because the particular geographical spatial data denoting image data are transformed into the display geographical spatial data according to the geographical information describing method, a volume of the display geographical spatial data is considerably reduced as compared with a volume of the particular geographical spatial data. Therefore, the display geographical spatial data can be transmitted through the communication network at high speed. Also, even though the communication network is a radio circuit, the display geographical spatial data can be reliably transmitted to the information terminal apparatus.
The third object is also achieved by the provision of a geographical information providing system comprising an information terminal apparatus with a communication function and an information providing apparatus for providing geographical information for the information terminal apparatus through a communication network in response to a retrieval request transmitted from the information terminal apparatus, the information providing apparatus comprising:
geographical spatial data storing means for storing pieces of geographical spatial data, which relate to a plurality of target objects existing in a geographical space, as geographical information;
deformed geographical information generating means for retrieving pieces of particular geographical spatial data relating to one or more particular target objects from the geographical spatial data storing means according to the retrieval request transmitted from the information terminal apparatus and generating pieces of deformed geographical spatial data indicating a simplified deformed map as deformed geographical information from the pieces of particular geographical spatial data;
providing side communicating means for transmitting the retrieval request transmitted from the information terminal apparatus to the deformed geographical information generating means and transmitting the pieces of deformed geographical spatial data obtained in the deformed geographical information generating means to the information terminal apparatus, and the information terminal apparatus comprising:
deformed geographical spatial data storing means for storing the pieces of deformed geographical spatial data transmitted from the providing side communicating means of the information providing apparatus; and
user interface means for receiving the retrieval request and a display request from a user, editing the pieces of deformed geographical spatial data stored in the deformed geographical spatial data storing means according to the display request to obtain pieces of edited geographical spatial data relating to one or more edited target objects selected from the particular target objects and displaying an edited deformed map in which the edited target objects are drawn according to the pieces of edited geographical spatial data.
In the above configuration, when pieces of particular geographical spatial data are retrieved by the deformed geographical information generating means, pieces of deformed geographical spatial data indicating a simplified deformed map are generated from the particular geographical spatial data. In the simplified deformed map, one or more deformed road areas are drawn with one or more particular target objects. Thereafter, the deformed geographical spatial data are transmitted to the information terminal apparatus and are edited by the user interface means according to a display request input by a user. Therefore, pieces of edited geographical spatial data indicating an edited deformed map are displayed. In the edited deformed map, one or more edited road areas obtained by editing the deformed road areas are drawn with one or more edited target objects selected from the particular target objects
Accordingly, the deformed geographical spatial data indicating the simplified deformed map can be transmitted from the information providing apparatus to the information terminal apparatus through the communication network. Also, edited geographical spatial data indicating an edited deformed map can be obtained from the deformed geographical spatial data according to the user""s display request, and the edited deformed map suiting the user""s taste can be displayed.